What Happens if Chicago Bears Move? Travel, Ticket Prices, & Rivalries Explained
The Chicago Bears are one step closer to moving away from their home state, after a bill was passed in Indiana approving the first stages of construction for a new stadium across the border.
If the Bears do end up moving out of Illinois, this could be a major disruption for the NFL team, and most importantly, their fans.
Ticket Prices Could Change if Chicago Bears Movie Out-Of-State
While there are plenty of people who would gladly make the journey into Indiana to watch the Bears play at their new stadium, the increased travel times could deter a lot of fans from attending games frequently and/or purchasing season tickets.
In turn, this could force the team to increase their ticket prices to make up for the decreased sales. Not to mention, the construction of a new stadium would be a massive hit for the club's finances, so ticket price hikes may be the most logical solution.
Not to mention, the Bears moving away from Illinois would take away much of the state's game-day spending in hospitality or retail, which could damage the state's economy.
A New Location Could Bring New League Rivalries
While moving to Indiana wouldn't necessary be that far for the Chicago Bears, it does bring the team a little closer to some other teams in the NFC North—and further from some others. This could shift the league's dynamics, giving the Bears some new rivals and potentially calming their rivalries with other teams.
The club's historic rivalry with the Green Bay Packers won't be going anywhere, but it's important to note that moving to Indiana would bring the Bears closer to the Detroit Lions' home turf and further from the Minnesota Vikings. This may seem inconsequential, but it would change the dynamics of fans at each game.
Leaving Chicago Could Hurt The Bears' Civic Identity
Though it's not unprecedented for football teams to move away from their home city and find major success somewhere else, there's a sense of civic pride that underpins the entire NFL that the Bears would be putting in jeopardy if they moved to Indiana.
Though it may be more financially viable for the club to move out-of-state, this could harm the Bears' relationship with the fans and ultimately chip away at their identity.